thai lettuce wraps

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These fresh and flavorful wraps are a perfect snack. They’re filling enough for a light dinner, and are a great appetizer for a party. I’m always trying to come up with new, wholesome recipes and ideas for appetizers and finger foods. These wraps might just be my new go to recipe for potlucks and dinner parties.

The meaty portobello mushrooms and cashews add a lot of substance to these vegetable wraps, so they leave you feeling full and satisfied but not stuffed. I’m a huge fan of having layers of texture and flavor in a dish; it keeps the mind and palate excited and eager for more. The sauteed mushrooms are rich and meaty, the cashews add crunch, and the fresh herbs, vegetables and lime add a vibrant and fresh finish. One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to fuss with a dipping sauce. Mushrooms are a sponge for flavor. They soak up this dressing wonderfully, making for a rich and juicy filling!

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I remember being taught to always eat the rainbow. Eating colorful foods is a delicious and easy way to add diverse nutrients into your diet. All of the vibrant colors in your produce aisle are there for a reason, and they all correlate to a specific antioxidant or nutrient that your body needs to maintain health, balance, and function. So, when picking out the ingredients for this dish, I added a range of colors. This is a great trick to remember anytime you are cooking up something delicious!

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ingredients

In my opinion, recipes are meant to lend inspiration in the kitchen, not to be strictly followed. These lettuce wraps are a perfect example; feel free to experiment... if you have some extra bell peppers around, add them in. Love basil? Add a few fresh leaves. If you like a bit more spice, add the whole pepper to the dressing. Don’t be afraid to get creative and make slight additions and alterations.

1 T coconut oil
1 head of butter lettuce, cleaned and dried
2 portobello mushrooms, medium dice
1 cup cashews, toasted and roughly chopped
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated (about 1 cup)
½ c cilantro leaves
½ cup mint leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges
In a medium sauce pan, heat coconut oil. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt and sautee for about 7 minutes. The salt is necessary to release water from the mushrooms and allow them to soften and cook. When mushrooms are cooked through, add in all of the dressing (recipe below) and cashews. Turn off the heat and add in carrots and cucumber.

To assemble: Fill lettuce leaves with about ¼ - ½ cup of warm mushroom filling and top with fresh cilantro and mint (and extra thai chili pepper). Finish with a squeeze of lime.